MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HCMC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
FACULTY OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
REPORT
ANALYSIS OF REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
OPERATING PARAMETERS
LECTURER: PhD. Doan Minh Hung
Group 2: Do Gia Bao – 21147098
Nguyen Duy Dat – 21147106
Do Bach Gia Long – 21147128
Le Quoc Yen Binh – 21147101
Ho Chi Minh city, 6th August, 2024
LECTURER’S COMMENT
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Ho Chi Minh City,....Month…..2024
LECTURER GRADES
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................4
PROCESSING THE COLLECTED DATA FROM REFRIGERATION
SYSTEMS OPERATION.........................................................5
1.1 The air handling unit (AHU) uses R134a refrigerant.....5
2.1 Cold storage system at the factory using R404a
refrigerant......................................................................8
3.1 AHU vertical cabinet system at the factory using R407c
refrigerant....................................................................12
CONCLUSION....................................................................16
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FIGURE LIST
Fig 1.1: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature after the
condenser and before expansion valve of AHU system.....................5
Fig 1.2: Graph showing the superheat temperature of the refrigerant
overtime of AHU system....................................................................6
Fig 1.3: Graph showing input and output water temperature of the
condense...........................................................................................6
Fig 1.4: Graph showing input and output air temperature of the
evaporator.........................................................................................7
Fig 2.1: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature before suction pipe
of the compressor and after expansion valve....................................8
Fig 2.2: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature after the
condenser and before expansion valve.............................................9
Fig 2.3: Graph showing input and output air temperature of the
evaporator.......................................................................................10
Fig 2.4: Graph showing input and output water temperature of the
condenser........................................................................................11
Fig 3.1: Effect of refrigerant on the inlet and outlet water of the
evaporator.......................................................................................12
Fig 3.2: Effect of superheated and cold water.................................13
Fig 3.3: Effect of subcooling temperature and chill water................14
Fig 3.4: Inlet and Outlet water tempurature of the condenser.........15
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
During the Refrigeration Practice 4 course, our group had the
opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in class to
practical applications in operating refrigeration systems. Through
hands-on experience, we have gained valuable insights and practical
skills in system operation and maintenance. Moreover, we collected
data for analysis, monitoring, and predicting system performance.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Doan
Minh Hung for providing us with specialized knowledge about theory
and practice. His guidance has equipped us with a solid foundation
for operating, troubleshooting, and analyzing data of refrigeration
systems. Additionally, we would like to thank the companies that
have sponsored equipment and systems for our workshop,
enhancing the quality of education and meeting the practical needs
of students.
We understand that our report may have some shortcomings
due to our limited knowledge. We kindly request your feedback and
suggestions to help us improve our understanding and apply this
valuable knowledge in the future. Once again, we would like to
express our sincere gratitude and best wishes to you and the
sponsoring companies.
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PROCESSING THE COLLECTED DATA FROM REFRIGERATION
SYSTEMS OPERATION
1.1 The air handling unit (AHU) uses R134a refrigerant.
Subcooling
GRAPH SHOWING REFRIGERANT'S
TEMPERATURE AFTER THE CONDENSER AND
BEFORE EXPANSION VALVE
31
Refrigerant's temperature
30.5
30
29.5
29
28.5
28
27.5
27
26.5
9h15 9h20 9h25 9h30 9h35 9h40 9h45 9h50 9h55 10h
TIme
Refrigerant's temperature after Refrigerant’s temperature before
the condenser the expansion valve
Fig 1.1: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature after the
condenser and before expansion valve of AHU system.
When the system reaches equilibrium, the Refrigerant's
temperature after the condenser must be maintained at a higher
level than the Refrigerant’s temperature before the expansion valve
to ensure cooling efficiency. Sub-cooling is a critical factor in
evaluating the performance of a refrigeration system. Based on the
graph, we can see that a small degree of sub-cooling may indicate a
problem with the throttling process or heat transfer. And the sub-
cooling temperature is fluctuated from 0.3°C to 1.6°C.
It is recommended to review the incorrect adjustment of the
expansion valve or changes in the heat load, maintenance issues of
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the system, or possibly due to the need to cool a space that is too
large and affected by ambient temperature.
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Superheat
GRAPH SHOWING THE SUPERHEAT
TEMPERATURE OF THE REFRIGERANT
OVERTIME
25
Refrigerant's temperature
20
15
10
0
9h15 9h20 9h25 9h30 9h35 9h40 9h45 9h50 9h55 10h
Time
Refrigerant's temperature after Refrigerant’s temperature before
the expansion valve the suction inlet of the compressor
Fig 1.2: Graph showing the superheat temperature of the refrigerant
overtime of AHU system.
Based on the graph, we can observe that both the
Refrigerant's temperature after the expansion valve and the
Refrigerant’s temperature before the suction inlet are relatively
stable, resulting in a quite ideal superheat range of 6.6 - 8°C.
Inlet-outlet water temperature difference of the condense
GRAPH SHOWING INPUT AND OUTPUT
WATER TEMPERATURE OF THE
CONDENSER
25
20
Water temperature
15
10
0
9h15 9h20 9h25 9h30 9h35 9h40 9h45 9h50 9h55 10h
Time
Inlet water temperature to the condenser
Outlet water temperature to the condenser
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Fig 1.3: Graph showing input and output water temperature of the
condense.
The condenser inlet water temperature is influenced by various
factors such as ambient temperature, day and night cycles, and the
temperature of the water source. Upon system startup, the outlet
water temperature typically increases gradually before stabilizing at
a steady state. A stable outlet water temperature indicates efficient
system operation and adequate cooling. A higher temperature
difference between the inlet and outlet signifies better heat transfer
efficiency in the condenser. Conversely, a smaller difference may
indicate lower heat transfer efficiency, possibly due to fouling or
blockage within the condenser. After measurement, the temperature
difference between the inlet and outlet was found to be 1.3 to 1.8
degrees Celsius.
Any fouling or blockage can significantly reduce heat transfer
and increase the outlet water temperature.
Temperature difference between the supply and return
air of the evaporator
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GRAPH SHOWING INPUT AND OUTPUT AIR
TEMPERATURE OF THE EVAPORATOR
30
29
28
27
Air temperature
26
25
24
23
22
9h15 9h20 9h25 9h30 9h35 9h40 9h45 9h50 9h55 10h
TIme
The supply air temperature of the AHU The return air temperature of the AHU
Fig 1.4: Graph showing input and output air temperature of the
evaporator.
When the AHU is operating correctly, the supply air
temperature typically decreases gradually and then stabilizes. A
stable supply air temperature indicates that the outdoor
environment is relatively stable and the AHU's return air system is
functioning efficiently. If the temperature difference is small, it may
suggest issues with the heat load, external environment, or heat
transfer process. However, a sudden increase in temperature that is
unrelated to the external environment could indicate a problem with
the return air system or insulation. After measurement, the
temperature difference between the inlet and outlet was found to be
2,8 to 3,9 degrees Celsius.
Based on the graph, the supply and return air temperatures
are relatively stable. After measurement, the temperature difference
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between the supply and return air was found to be 2.8 to 3.9
degrees Celsius, indicating relatively efficient AHU operation.
2.1 Cold storage system at the factory using R404a
refrigerant.
Superheat temperature.
Fig 2.1: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature before suction
pipe of the compressor and after expansion valve.
From the graph, we can see that there is slightly decrease in
both refrigerant’s temperature. For example. At 9h45 the
refrigerant’s temperature before suction pipe is 6.3°C, but it
decrease to 2.2°C and -0.3°C at 9h50 and 9h55, respectively. And
the superheated temperature is fluctuated from 5.6°C to 8.3°C.
The refrigerant temperature before the compressor suction of
the freezer gradually decreases, which can cause frost on the
compressor suction. In addition, the refrigerant temperature after
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the throttle also decreases sharply, which can be caused by early
throttle or small throttle valve, and at the same time, the superheat
gradually decreases. In the long term, this can decreases the
performance of the compressor.
Sub-cooling
Fig 2.2: Graph showing refrigerant's temperature after the
condenser and before expansion valve.
From the graph, we can see that the refrigerant temperature
after the condenser and refrigerant temperature before the
expansion valve is worked normally. For example, at 9h30
refrigerant's temperature after the condenser is 31.3°C and at 9h35
refrigerant's temperature after the condenser is 31.35°C . And the
sub-cooling temperature is fluctuated from 2.6°C to 2.9°C.
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However, the subcooling temperature of the system is quite low,
this mean that there is less liquid in the condenser.
Temperature difference between the supply and return
air of the evaporator
Fig 2.3: Graph showing input and output air temperature of the
evaporator.
After operating the cold storage, the group collected data and found that the
temperature of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator to the compressor suction
decreased, the superheated temperature increased, the temperature difference between
the air in and out of the cold storage evaporator decreased, so it was concluded that
after a period of running the cold storage, the evaporator will be covered with snow
and the oil stuck in the pipe wall will reduce the heat exchange rate between the
refrigerant and the air.
And through the operation log, the group saw that the influence of the outlet air
temperature values of the cold storage depends on the ambient temperature (ambient
temperature, inlet air temperature). For example, at 10:10 to 10:15, when the return air
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temperature decreased from -0.5 to -1.2, the temperature in the cold storage decreased
from -2.9 oC to -3.5 oC.
So when the return air temperature of the evaporator of the cold storage increases, the
outlet air temperature of the evaporator of the cold storage also increases. Therefore, if
the inlet air temperature of the evaporator increases beyond the designed value due to
an external factor, it will affect the outlet air temperature of the evaporator in the cold
storage, which will affect the required storage temperature. The cooling capacity will
decrease, the freezing efficiency of the system will decrease, and the life of the system
will be reduced.
Inlet-outlet water temperature difference of the
condenser
Fig 2.4: Graph showing input and output water temperature of the
condenser.
After the cold storage system is running stably, we get the data of the
temperature difference between the water before entering the condenser and after
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leaving the condenser is about 3.4 ~ 3.5°C. While comparing the water temperature
before and after passing through the condenser when the system is operating normally
is 5 to 6°C, it can be seen that the condenser of the cold storage system is dirty.
3.1 AHU vertical cabinet system at the factory using R407c
refrigerant.
Effect of refrigerant on the inlet and outlet water of the evapo-
rator.
22
20.5
19
17.5
16
Temperature (oC)
14.5
13
11.5
10
8.5
7
5.5
4
2.5
9h5p 9h10p 9h15p 9h20p 9h25p 9h30p 9h35p 9h40p 9h45p 9h50p
Time
The temperature of water entering the evaporator
the temperature of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator
The temperature of cold water leaving the evaporator
Fig 3.1: Effect of refrigerant on the inlet and outlet water of the
evaporator.
In this graph, it shows five main things, there’re the
temperature, time, the temperature of water entering the
evaporator (deep blue), the temparture of cold water leaving the
evaporator (blue) and the temperature of the refrigerant leaving the
evaporator (orange). When we are looking this graph we can see the
different of the temperature per five minutes, at 9:05 AM we started
to run this system the deep blue had the highest temperature also
the blue and the orange but after five minutes it started to go down,
with the deep blue it went from 21.7 to 17.9, the blue it went from
20 to 14.9 and the orange from 18.8 to 9.4 that’s maked it different.
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The temperature of the deep blue, blue and orange also changed so
much the different of the temperature after five minutes
approximate 3-8 degree. At 9:15 AM also changed like that but at
9:20 AM to 9:50 AM the temperature it was stabled, when we are
looking at this graph we can see that when we are starting to run
the system the temperature always high because the deep blue,
blue and orange they’re not being cooled yet so that it must take 15
minutes to cooled it and after that the temperature are stabled
nothing change after 30 minutes waited.
After running the water chiller system, we achieved data while
running the system. The different of temperature when entering the
evaporator and leaving the evaporator it’s approximate from 1.7 –
4.4 degree. Then we compare with water enter and leave evaporator
while the system running normally from 5 – 7 degree. So that mean
this evaporator might be dirty a little bit.
Effect of superheated and cold water
35
30
25
Temperature(oC)
20
15
10
0
9h5p 9h10p 9h15p 9h20p 9h25p 9h30p 9h35p 9h40p 9h45p 9h50p
Time
∆t (Superheated) ∆t (Cold water evaporator)
Fig 3.2: Effect of superheated and cold water.
In this graph, it shows us the different of temperature of
superheated and cold water evaporator. The superheated
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temperature changed by time, at 9:05 Am the temperature was the
highest but after that the temperature of superheated decrease
really fast the temperature approximate 5.84 – 14.5 degree. The
cold water evaporator temperature at 9:05 AM not really high but
after running for few minutes it started to increase slightly and the
temperature approximate 1 – 2.4 degree.
After running the water chiller system we achieved the data
from the system, this water chiller system the superheated it was
decreased the temperature not stabled and also the cold water
evaporator was increased that mean we lack of cold water for
evaporator.
Effect of subcooling temperature and chill water
12
10
8
Temperature oC
0
9h5p 9h10p 9h15p 9h20p 9h25p 9h30p 9h35p 9h40p 9h45p 9h50p
Time
∆t (Subcooling) ∆t (Chill water)
Fig 3.3: Effect of subcooling temperature and chill water.
In this graph, we can see the temperature of the subcooling
and the chill water. The temperature changed so much, its not
stabled as we can see in the subcooling temperature the
temperature changed by time, at 9:05 Am the temperature was the
highest but after a few minutes the temperature was changed it
started to decrease and increase and then decrease, we can see
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that after 15 minutes the temperature was not stabled. The chill
water temperature also change by time when the first one at 9:05
Am its really low only 1.1 degree but after few minutes the
temperature started increasing and decreasing at 9:20 AM and then
the temperature almost stabled.
After running the water chiller system, we achieved the date
from the system, can see the different of temperature while running
it. The subcooling temperature decreased and the chill water
increased we can understand that mean the condenser lack of chill
water.
Inlet and Outlet water tempurature of the condenser
31.5 35
31
34
30.5
30
33
Temperature(oC)
Temperature(oC)
29.5
29 32
28.5
31
28
27.5
30
27
26.5 29
9h5p 9h10p 9h15p 9h20p 9h25p 9h30p 9h35p 9h40p 9h45p 9h50p
Time
The inlet water temperature of the condenser
The outlet water temperature of the condenser
Fig 3.4: Inlet and Outlet water temperature of the condenser.
And the last graph, it shows us the temperature, time and the
inlet water temperature of the condenser (blue) and the outlet water
temperature of the condenser (orange). At 9:05 AM the blue had the
highest temperature , the blue was 31 degree and the orange was
32.1. After 5 minutes that mean at 9:10 AM it was changed the blue
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started to go down from 31 to 29.5 degree not really a big changed
and the orange it started to go up from 32.1 to 33.2 and at 9:15 AM
the orange keeped going up and the blue keeped going down but
the orange changed so much the temperature at this time was the
highest. But at 9:20 AM it was changed the temperature of the
orange decreased so much and the blue still stabled. From 9:25 AM
to 9:50 AM the temperature of the orange was really stabled nothing
changed so much and the blue , it temperature not really stabled it
when from 29 to 28 degree, it was not changed that much but when
we look at the graph it’s not really stabled.
We got the data after running the water chiller system we got
that the inlet and outlet water temperature of the condenser
approximate from 1 – 4.5 degree. So that we compare with the
water inlet and outlet while the system running normally 5 – 7
degree. That mean this condenser might be dirty.
CONCLUSION
Through the Refrigeration Engineering 4 internship, our group
has gained a wealth of knowledge and honed our skills in operating
various refrigeration systems at the workshop. We learned how to
collect data, analyze it, and predict potential system failures.
Additionally, we were trained on how to troubleshoot system
malfunctions.
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